Job Openings at GOALPrime Organization Nigeria

Location: Based in Maiduguri, but with frequent travels to other field offices

Reporting To: Chief of Programmes

Start of Contract & Duration: 12 Months (One Year)

OVERALL PURPOSE OF THE ROLE:

This role has a focus to ensures compliance with GPON procedures and guidelines. The role contributes to the development of GPON strategies, which are translated into action plans and day-to-day tasks. The role provides support and/or technical guidance to GPON operations and activities.

Provide onsite support and conduct periodic spot checks, reviews, and audits of GPON operations through review and audit of financial systems, and other policies and procedures to determine the accountability and assess the reliability of the control systems as a whole and to identify the measures needed to ensure that the systems are functioning at the desired levels of efficiency and effectiveness.

Ensure field offices and CO management get timely and quality financial information and technical support that will help decision making, budget monitoring, and financial control.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Compliance – Field Monitoring

• Provide remote and onsite support to GPON Offices related to document checklist, minimum documentation and review, physical archiving and electronic archiving, audit, and other compliance-related matters.
• Conduct regular periodic spot checks, internal reviews, and implement action plans (based on both internal and external audit reviews) to address weaknesses and improve internal control systems.
• Review and validation of financial records for compliance with GPON’s Operations Handbook and donor policies and procedures for all support units (log, procurement, HR, finance, admin).
• Responsible for regular and ongoing quality check of payment requests/ financial documents before payment and providing GPON colleagues with clear feedback/guidance on improvement of systems to avoid payment delays due to lack of documentation.
• Prepare internal control review reports; keep up to date on donor compliance rules, regulations, and GPON’s Operations Handbook policies and procedures.
• Perform periodic reviews, in-depth analysis, and reconciliation of key accounts (balance sheet items mainly cash, deferrals, advances, intercompany accounts, suspense, and clearing accounts) and recommend action points.
• Support in timely completion of the month-end procedures and year-end closure of accounts
• Undertake Partner Finance reviews and conduct monitoring visits

Risk Mitigation – Strategic 

• Support the development of SOPs and policies as needed based on identified gaps in organizational policies, or based requirements (such as statutory audit proceedings)
• Monitor use of internal controls and guide to strengthening them
• Validate and review compliance self-checks and follow up on action plans
• Develop innovative compliance self-checks
• Contribute to the risk management effort of the GPON Office including instituting enterprise risk management framework and applicability of the three lines of defense risk management model

Audit (Internal and External) 

• Serve as the focal point for project-specific external audits in coordination with the Finance Coordinator and Human Resource Coordinator.
• Facilitate annual statutory audit of the GPON field Office and its timely submission to the regulator
• Ensure compliance with statutory requirements of the regulating agency, labor law, and taxing authorities.
• Review Addis and Field Office accounts and Prepare monthly reconciled schedules for payroll tax (PT), Withholding Tax (WHT), and Pension fund (PF).
• Liaise with field Offices and send a reminder to all field offices that PT, WHT PF are paid to Inland Revenue and Customs Authority every month
• Report and give assurance to the Finance Coordinator that all tax and pension obligations are settled.
• Ensure the recommendations of both internal and external audits are implemented and follow up are made every quarter

Fraud and Corruption

• Assist in investigations into fraud and corruption as requested by GPON’s Code of Conduct Authorizing Officer.
• Identify risks and develop/ improve internal control systems to reduce the associated risks
• Experience and Technical Competencies: (include years of experience)
• At least 3 years experience working in compliance functions in the finance field at a similar level position.
• If not compliance-related experience, at least 5 years working in the Finance field (general).
• Experience working for large NGOs in Nigeria, with in-depth knowledge of NGO rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Experience and expertise in the use of financial system software, preferably Quickbook software. Experience with Microsoft products is strongly preferred.
• Full professional proficiency in English is required.
• Education (include certificates, licenses, etc.):
• Master's degree in finance (MBA – Finance) or other similar fields of Finance/accounts
• Languages: (indicate fluency level)
• Excellent verbal and written English.
• Knowledge of Hausa is an added advantage.

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Job Overview/Summary:
The Finance Coordinator plays a key role in assisting the Operation Technical Advisor (OTA) and the Chief of Programme (CoP) in supporting treasury, accounting, budgeting, and planning functions of the GPON Program. Key responsibilities include a review of financial activities, staff training, field finance monitoring, management of accounts and treasury, and assisting in budget functions.

Major Responsibilities:

1.     Financial Verification:

• Responsible for document/voucher verification with a value less or equivalent to US$5,000 submitted to Finance Department to ensure that:
• The GPON policies and donor regulations are adhered to.
• Expenses are allowable, allocable, and reasonable as per specific donor regulations.
• The charging codes for payments submitted are correct.
• The calculations are correct. (this includes test of the mathematical accuracy of invoices, receipts, and supporting documents to payments)
• The relevant supporting documents are attached.

2.     General Ledger Processing:

• Manage and maintain entries of Quickbook System accounting including chart of accounts, charge codes, exchange rates, transactional details, etc.
• Ensure the review of field office accounting transactions before uploaded onto Quickbook system.
• Lead the organization month-end closing process.
• Generate, review, and analyze financial reports from Quickbook System Application.
• Ensure the Quickbook system backup, restoration and retention procedure in place and follow for all QUICKBOOK master files

3.     Field Finance:

• Supervise a proper and timely review of the financial data submitted by field offices to identify weaknesses and problems and to develop correction action:
• Provide monthly feedback to the field finance teams regarding their transactions coding or /and its supporting documents by email
• Analyze the monthly spreadsheets from the field offices prior to uploading onto QUICKBOOK System.

4.     The Monthly Balance Sheet Account Reconciliation:

• On a monthly basis, supervise the preparation of the country office balance sheet accounts reconciliation report and relevant supporting documents for a review by TA and the Chief of Programmes.
• Review the remarks on balance sheet accounts to discuss with CoP.
• Monitor the staff, vendor advances and other balance sheet items before month end closing.

5.     Cash Forecasting:

• Ensure that the GPON program cash forecasts and Cash Transfer Request (CTR) are accurate by working with field and program leads to help them develop more accurate cash forecasts of  their program needs.
• Review cash projection prepared and submitted by other departments
• Advise the monthly foreign currency conversions that match the cashflow.

6.     Training and Staff Management:

• Assist in trainings for the program and operational staff on the GPON Finance policies, accounting and budgeting procedures and financial requirements as well as finance staff activities.
• After a field office visit, prepare a written field trip report for review by TA or CoP that identifies key issues during the field trip visits and  provide follow-up recommendations for improving control processes or procedures.
• Ensure comprehensive performance reviews are timely completed for discussion with CoP.
• Provide new staff orientations when required

7.     Payroll:

• Supervise a monthly review of the outsourced national payroll report to ensure accuracy, standard and financial controls are maintained.
• Review the preparation of the monthly international and national staff payroll report and accounting entries including salary allocations.
• Review withholding reports and liaison with the Boron state revenue department to ensure compliance with national income tax and other related regulations.
• Review Shared Program Cost allocation processes and methodology for overarching costs that comply with donor regulations on allowable costs.

8.     Budgeting:

• Prepare, revise, and maintain GPON Office Operating Budget and grant proposal budgets.
• Work with program teams in preparing and/or revising grant budgets to support new proposals or realignments to ensure adequate coverage of GPON operating costs
• Consolidate and update all grant pipelines from programs and other departments on a monthly basis and to propose and prepare budget revisions, as necessary.
• Review the monthly timesheet planning worksheet and send it to all supervisors.
• Supervise the preparation of and review Quickbook System Budget uploads.

9.     Reporting:

• Prepare all monthly Budget versus Actual reports in donor currency to ensure maximum utilization of budgeted amounts and to provide recommendations for realignments as required.
• Supervise the preparation of the required donor financial reports for review by CoP.
• Supervise the implementation of the BVA online system including the data upload and verification.
• Draft monthly and adhoc reports, including the monthly country program financial management reports for review by CoP.

10.  Other:

• Assist CoP with the internal and external audit when required.
• Perform other duties, as appropriate or requested

Key Working Relationships:
Position Reports to: Chief of Programmes
Position directly supervises: Finance Officer and Finance Assistant

other internal and/or external contacts:

• Internal:  Program/Grants Managers/Coordinators, Supply Chain Managers/Coordinator, field finance officers, and Internal Auditors, etc.
• External: Bank Managers, Revenue Department, donors, and external auditors

Qualifications And Experience Requirements

Qualifications/ Experience Essential:

• Minimum of BA degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration or equivalent
• At least 5+ years of relevant experience out of which 3 years on a senior level experience (not necessarily gained in an NGO or INGO) or demonstrated equivalent combination.
• Having experience in different donor agency compliance requirements.
• Advanced EXCEL knowledge and different accounting software.

Qualifications/ Experience Desirable:

Languages Required:

• Fluency in the English language is essential
• In addition to Amharic, Knowledge of Local Languages is a desirable